Pyongyang’s tests ‘blatant affront’ to UN nuclear test ban treaty – S. Korea FM

South Korea’s foreign minister has said Pyongyang’s sixth nuclear test and 20 ballistic missile launches last year amount to a “blatant affront” to the United Nations’ nuclear test ban treaty. Kang Kyung-wha called on governments Tuesday to make a “strong, united commitment” to implementing UN Security Council resolutions to “compel Pyongyang to change course and come to dialogue for a peaceful resolution,” AP reports. Kang also told the UN-backed Conference on Disarmament that sanctions are “not meant to bring down North Korea,” but to convince it to join other nations in working towards denuclearization. She said Seoul was “very happy” with North Korea’s participation in the Winter Olympics and now wants talks between the two countries to turn to the issue of ridding the peninsula of nuclear weapons.